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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28925760">Selfish</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyrn/pseuds/kyrn'>kyrn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>DreamSMP, Minecraft (Video Game), mcyt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, DNF, Depression, Dream Team SMP Angst (Video Blogging RPF), Manipulation, Sleepy Bois Inc Angst, Suicide, dream team</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 13:20:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,075</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28925760</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyrn/pseuds/kyrn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tommy grabs Tubbos' wrist. “That’s so fucked up, how can you not see that he’s- the only thing he wants is the one thing I care about.” </p>
<p>Tubbo pulled his wrist out from Tommy’s grasp. </p>
<p>“Hm. The one thing you care about.” </p>
<p>“Tubbo, you’re my friend!” </p>
<p>“You are hereby exiled from my country.” </p>
<p>“C’mon tommy.” Dream moved forward in silent glee. He had been watching the scene with a grin on his face, and grew even more exhilarated. Dream pushed Tommy off the wall, and led him out of L’manburg, Tommy staring at the finality in his friend’s face. </p>
<p>“Tubbo?” </p>
<p>---------</p>
<p>please forgive me if there are misspellings, this is also my first post! lots of chapters to come</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Van</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Tommy, it’s not like i want to exile you! you’re ruining this, and i have to worry about more than just you!”  Tubbo was tired of having this conversation. the same words spoken over and over again, never ending in a solution. They were wasting precious time, and Tubbo still hadn’t made a decision. he leaned against the table, rubbing his face with his hand. </p>
<p>“C'mon Tubbo, you can’t exile me, I’m practically the leader of L'manburg.” tommy said cockily. Tommy had confidence that Tubbo would eventually listen to him, because that’s how it worked; Tubbo listened. that was how it had worked since they had become friends.</p>
<p>but things were changing. </p>
<p>“what?!” Tubbo turns around, disbelieving of the nerve tommy had. “leader of lmanburg? does he not realize that i’m the president? that tommy answered to him?” </p>
<p>Tommy looked up from his hands, his confident smile slipping ever so slightly from his face. </p>
<p>Tubbo takes a few steps forward, his anger apparent on his face. “what?” he repeats, his usually submissive voice raspy.</p>
<p>“what are you going on about?” tommy asks, confused </p>
<p>“basically the leader of L'manburg, are you?” Tubbo fumes as tommy rolls his eyes. “you really think that tommy? truly, you believe that you are  a leader?” </p>
<p>tommy stands up, preparing to defend himself. “well, yeah. you can’t really do anything to me, and everyone listens to me, so i guess.” </p>
<p>Tubbo was amazed. “i cant do anything to you? you do know that i have the power to  exile you, right?” Tubbo's voice was growing shriller with each word he spoke, as his frustration with his friend grew. </p>
<p>Tommy scoffs. “You’re not gonna do that,” he responds undaunted. </p>
<p>“i’m not, am i? really wish i had known that before i spent days thinking about it!” tubbo's voice was raised, and tommy noticed. he took more to the words tubbo said, for they had surprised him. </p>
<p>“you... you were thinking about it?” Tommy's confident tone had faltered. Tubbo looks up from the table, looking almost guilty. </p>
<p>“well of course I was, it’s one of our few options.” </p>
<p>tommy looks at Tubbo, suddenly heated by the fact that Tubbo had considered banning him from a country he had helped create. “What?!” </p>
<p>“Don’t be stupid tommy, I’m trying to do what’s best for the country, and you leaving is a viable option.” </p>
<p>Tommy, encapsulated by his bitterness, and fueled by his thoughts of “exiled? I built this country with him! Who does he think he is?” starts towards Tubbo, aggressiveness written in his eyes. </p>
<p>He and Tubbo are standing toe to toe, and Tommy repeats his question. “What?!” he whispers with vehement. </p>
<p>“Back off Tommy,” Tubbo walks backwards away from Tommy, but he persists. “Just say it! You would get rid of me if you found the chance to, you would rather have me gone,” </p>
<p>“YES!” Tubbo screams. He whips around to look at Tommy in the eyes. “Yes, I do wish you were gone right now— in fact, leave. Leave now.” </p>
<p>“You can’t say that to me! I think I’ll stay right here!” </p>
<p>“Tommy, I’m not asking. now leave, before I get someone to make you.” Tommy stood for a second, looking at the exasperated Tubbo. He just didn’t understand, Tommy hadn’t done anything wrong. </p>
<p>“Whatever, I don’t need you anyways.”  Tommy turns and walks out of the van with anger flowing through him, wondering “What the hell just happened?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. ranboo</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>As ranboo and tommy talk, tommy remembers how life used to be.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"fuck!" </p><p>tommy brings his attention back to the present, and looks at the thing that had connected with his foot. </p><p>"are you kidding?" tommy looks around, as if someone would pop out of a bush and yell that he had been pranked. </p><p>"are you fucking kidding me?!" tommy examines his toe and looks at the wooden bench with contempt. he realizes how far he had walked, and that his feet had started to hurt. He wondered what had brought him here, and if his subconscious was simply feeling guilty. </p><p>He takes a seat on the bench, trying his hardest not to think. Staring into the sunset, seeing the beauty of the end of a day in its early stages broke down the weakened barrier that was holding back the painful memories. </p><p>"Tommy?" </p><p>Tommy twists around, and sees Ranboo standing awkwardly.  The lanky guy that played part in starting this whole situation was standing behind him with a pitiful look in his eyes. </p><p>Tommy turns back around, and slumps deeper into his chair. "well what are you doing mate? come sit down, i'm not gonna stab you." </p><p>Ranboo chuckles lightly, and approaches the bench. he takes a seat next to tommy, the bench creaking underneath his weight. tommy studied his hands, the silence between them grew longer as they watch the sun for a few minutes.</p><p>"I'm sorry tommy," Ranboo says. He looks to tommy, and their eyes meet. “you should have blamed me, i was there too." </p><p>Tommy studies ranboo for a bit; looking from the remorse in his green and red eyes to the jewels in his crown, sparkling in the sunlight. Ranboo was no more of an adult than he was, and tommy knew how overwhelming life was in this situation.</p><p>"no ranboo, this wasn't your fault.” Ranboo looked to the fence, opening his mouth to objective when tommy cut him off.</p><p>“I burned down that house,” he says sternly. “i should take the blame." tommy sets his hand on ranboos shoulder. "you did what i told you to do. you can’t be blamed for that." </p><p>Ranboo smiles lightly, and looks back at the horizon. Tommy could almost see the relief ranboo felt radiating off of him.</p><p>"got any music on you?" tommy indicates to the jukebox as he leaned back in his chair. "i don't like the silence." he says with a smile.</p><p>"yeah, actually.” ranboo stands and opens the ender chest by the tree. “i just got it earlier." ranboo pulls out a music disc and rotates it in his hands lazily. It shines in the sunlight, the vinyl twisting the light in all different ways. Tommy recognizes the twisting disc in his hands, and a dejected feeling grips him. </p><p>"you like mellohi?" ranboo asks casually as he inserts the disc into the jukebox. a smooth melody begins playing, and tommy gets sent back in time by the delicate notes.</p><p>—</p><p>"this is nice tommy," </p><p>Tommy blinks and looks around. he thought he had just heard tubbo; frankly he was hoping to see his friends smiling face. he searches his surroundings; the bench, the jukebox, the yard, and a boy, laying back in his seat with a content smile on his face, the orange glow from the sun highlighting his cheekbones. it was tubbo, in a way. But he looked different. tommy looked back over the horizon with his mouth slack, and attempts to grasp what happened. </p><p>"it... it is tubbo," tommy looks forward and surveys the land. there weren't any craters, and sapnap and dream were sparing in the yard while wilbur and niki watched. the sinking feeling was seeping into his stomach, and he half-whispered, "what's the date today tubbo?" </p><p>tubbo looks to tommy with inquiry. "It's... july 11th, why?" </p><p>tommy nods his head in recognition. tommy knew it was too much to hope for, but for a fleeting moment he had thought that the past week was simply a nightmare. that the war hadn’t happened, promises were still intact. that he had his best friend back. tommy leaned forward and put his head in his hands. </p><p>"i can't do this anymore tubbo," tommy's voice cracks with emotion. tubbo looks at tommy, and sees his frame shake gently with tears. </p><p>"Tommy? are you okay tommy?" tubbo sets his hand on tommy's shoulder and tommy flinches. the touch of his best friend reminded him of how long it had been since he had given him a hug. a wave of regret washed over tommy. </p><p>"why didn't i hug him more" tommy whispered to himself. </p><p>tommy peeked at tubbo from under his hands, and the feeing of missing him was overwhelming. so, tommy hugged him. tommy hugged tubbo, clutching his friend like it was the last time they would see each other. tubbo sat in confusion as his friend shook and sniffled for a moment. tommy never showed affection, and this was a very big progression from never even saying "i love you". tubbo felt tommy's vulnerability, and hugged back. Tommy could feel his friends shoulder getting stained with tears, but he didn't care. He hugged harder, and let his friend hold him. </p><p>"i love you tubbo" tommy says with a sob. he could feel himself slipping back into consciousness, but he didn't want to go back. he didn't want to leave the calm he felt in tubbos presence. he wanted to stay here with tubbo; he wanted to feel safe again. tommy clings to the memory of his friend, and with a final squeeze, tubbo evaporated in his arms.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>uh yeah so some angst in this,, i really like ranboo and tommy interactions so here’s a bit of that</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The exile</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>tommy knew when he was back to the bitter present. the air around him was colder, more stale. The bench was uncomfortable. and the person next to him wasn’t tubbo. </p>
<p>“do you not like this song?” </p>
<p>“huh?” tommy asks distractedly. he could still feel the warmth from where tubbo had hugged him, and his mind was still focused on the sunset of july 11. tommy blinks and turns his head to see a concerned, and slightly awkward, looking ranboo. </p>
<p>“you alright? you spaced out for a bit there.” tommy noticed that ranboo refused to make eye contact. his eyes kept darting here and there nervously, almost guiltily. </p>
<p>“ay, my eyes are here mate,” tommy voiced, and ranboo looked at him pitifully.</p>
<p>“wha-“ a gust of wind had blown across the yard, and tommy felt his face grow exponentially more cold. tommy grazed his cheek with his hand, and found that it was wet. </p>
<p>“shit.” he had been crying in front of ranboo. “shit!” tommy turns away from ranboo in alarm at his sudden vulnerability and hastily wiped underneath his eyes. </p>
<p>“you okay tommy?” the tone of ranboos voice caught tommy slightly off guard; it wasn’t full of resentment. it was caring, and understanding. tommy still didn’t turn around though, and could feel the release of ranboos weight as he stood up a few minutes later. he walked away silently, looking over his shoulder at his newfound friend every couple of seconds. </p>
<p>tommy, however, stayed put. he sat on the bench for a few more hours, and watched the moon grow brighter in the night sky. he sat thinking about what could happen tomorrow, and about what had happened today. it wasn’t until the sun started to show behind him and the world had begun to awake again that he went to sleep. </p>
<p>-- </p>
<p>“tommy? wake up man!” </p>
<p>tommy’s eyes cracked open to see the face of ranboo hovering over him. ranboo shook him again and tommys sight began to focus. ranboo was wearing the same look as he had the last time they had seen eachother; nervous and worried. </p>
<p>“what’s going on?” tommy rubs his eyes and props himself up on his elbow. ranboo takes a few steps back, angling towards the door. </p>
<p>“we have to go, tubbo and dream and everyone is waiting for you, the cabinets actually in a meeting as we speak.” ranboos pranced nervously as his eyes were glancing between his watch, the door, and tommy, clearly wanting to leave. </p>
<p>“what’s happening?” tommy was still groggy from sleep, and extremely tired. </p>
<p>“the exile tommy! you know, the event that could change the history of the country and such!” ranboo rolled his eyes and edged ever more closer to the door. </p>
<p>tommy shook his head in a sad attempt to clear it. “right, right the exile.” he murmured.  he started to get out of bed and look for his clothes hurriedly. after a few seconds tommy felt the tension in the room. he looked down, realized he was in his boxers, and turned to face ranboo. </p>
<p>“get out mate! cmon, let a man have his privacy!” ranboo shuffles to the outside in a slight rush, clearly embarrassed. tommy shakes his head and mutters complaints under his breath. he was hastily getting dressed, and his mind had started to wander. in all honestly, he had no clue how today would end. </p>
<p>he finished brushing his teeth, and jogged out the door towards ranboo. they walked along the path towards the center of L’manburg in silence, both worried about the days perceived events. near the end of the path when they had arrived at the office, ranboo turned towards tommy. he put his hands on his shoulders, and his face grew more pale. </p>
<p>“i don’t care what happens to you tommy,” ranboo looked more serious than tommy had ever seen him before. “i’ll be here for you.” tommy’s heart swole, and gained comfort in the thought that ranboo would be just in the other side of a door, waiting to congratulate him on winning the trial.</p>
<p>“thanks mate, i’ve got your back aswell.” they nodded to each other, and tommy headed inside. tommy didn’t know this, but ranboo had a sense for these things. ranboo had a suspicion that tommy wouldn’t be sleeping in his own bed tonight, and was hoping against hope that he was wrong. ranboo watched the boy walk into the room that could change his life.</p>
<p>when tommy opened the door, all the voices inside went silent. everyone turned to look at him as he stood awkwardly in the the door way. after a few moments, tubbo stood up and fixed his suit. tubbo wouldn’t make eye contact with tommy for more than half a second, and his face was stone. in that instant, the fleeting hope tommy had been able to muster disappeared. he knew then that he was screwed. </p>
<p>tommy glanced around the room, trying to seek comfort in his friends gaze. most refused to look up from their feet, and those that did looked ashamed and apologetic. </p>
<p>“you are all excused, i want a word alone with tommy.” tubbo said as he shuffled some papers on the desk. the authority in tubbos voice was so absolute no one questioned it. there was a period of time where the only thing that could be heard was the scraping of chairs and the mutterings of “good luck” as they passed him on their way out the door. soon the room was empty except for them. </p>
<p>“tubbo?” tommy advanced a few steps before tubbo backed away. </p>
<p>“tommy, the... the decision has been made. your house is being cleared as we speak.” tubbos face was emotionless, and tommy stood desperately hoping that he had heard wrong. </p>
<p>“this can’t be happening,” he whispered, trying to lock gazes with tubbo, and failing even more than before. tommy leaned against the table with his head down, trying to comprehend what would happen to him. </p>
<p>the door to the left creaked open. there were slow paced footsteps approaching them. tubbo turned to the sound, and for the first time yet that day, showed emotion. tubbo looked scared. </p>
<p>dream took in the room, and his eyes landed on tommy. the look that filled his eyes when they made contact was one of deep disgust; his lip curled into a nasty sneer and his features became pinched. </p>
<p>“dream?” tubbo prompted, a quiver in his voice that was well disguised. you wouldn’t have noticed it if you hadn’t heard his voice for hours on end like tommy had. </p>
<p>“right.” dreams eyes lingered on the vulnerable tommy for a moment longer, and when he finally looked up his face was suddenly business like. “follow me outside.” </p>
<p>and so they proceeded in a single file line; first dream, then tommy, then tubbo. they made their way into the bright sun, and observed the obsidian walls that had been built prior to this. dream pointed. a path had been made to reach the peak of the walls. dream started forward, each step filled with anticipation. when they reached the top they saw the rest of the cabinet waiting, all looking relatively grim.  as tommy looked from face to face, his pace stuttered. he looked at his friends in a daze, like he expected to wake up at any moment. dream looked back when he didn’t hear tommys footsteps behind him, and rolled his eyes at the scene he found to be pathetic. </p>
<p>“oh come on now,” dream walked back towards tommy and grabbed his arm. they made their way down the narrow pathway of obsidian; dream practically dragging tommy behind him. </p>
<p>they came to a spot where the wall was lower than in other places, the drop was enough to be painful, but not large enough to cause any injury. </p>
<p>“well, this is your spot!” dream exclaimed, positively joyous. it was quite the funny sight, seeing dream, standing with his hands on his hips and a peppy smile on his face, compared to tommy, who looked as if he were in between a dream state and living nightmare. </p>
<p>the force of what was happening occurred to tommy, like when edison discovered electricity; or similarly, it was as if tommy had just found out that edison electrocuted puppies to test his inventions.  tommy didn’t want to leave. he wanted to go and listen to music on the bench with his friend. he wanted to go back to when life was about friendship, and building houses along the path. desperation flooded him, and he translated it to anger. </p>
<p>tubbo stood over tommy, his face bare of emotions. </p>
<p>“tubbo please! the reason he’s doing this is because he knows that h-he- this is your fault!” tommy huffed. he didn’t know what he could say to win tubbo back over. </p>
<p>Tubbo's nostrils flared. “you had one job, you couldn’t do one thing for me. you couldn’t do one!” tubbo turned around and threw his hands up. “just one thing! and it was for your own good!” tubbo turned back around, his eyebrows were pinched and his mouth was flat. “so you know what, if the roles were reversed, as you said, yeah! yeah, you probably wouldn’t exile me, because i would have actually listened to you,” tubbo shoved his finger into tommys chest angrily, making tommy stumble closer to the edge. “and done what you said! and maybe had a couple ounces on respect!” he punctuated the end of the sentence with another slight push. “you’ve messed this up for no one but yourself.” tubbo took a few steps back, a look of disgust on his face. “selfish.” </p>
<p>Tommy grabbed                                                                                                                                     Tubbos' wrist. “That’s so fucked up, how can you not see that he’s- the only thing he wants is the one thing I care about.” </p>
<p>Tubbo pulled his wrist out from Tommy’s grasp. </p>
<p>“Hm. The one thing you care about.” </p>
<p>“Tubbo, you’re my friend!” </p>
<p>“You are hereby exiled from my country.” </p>
<p>“C’mon tommy.” Dream moved forward in silent glee. He had been watching the scene with a grin on his face, and grew even more exhilarated. Dream pushed Tommy off the wall, and led him out of L’manburg, Tommy staring at the finality in his friend’s face. </p>
<p>“Tubbo?” </p>
<p>—</p>
<p>As Dream walked back into the country, he saw his team of chaos standing, waiting for him to return. </p>
<p>sapnap approached him and took his coat. They enterd back into their little hold in a mountain, their home base. As he opened the door, the smell of stew flooded his nostrils and the warm heat from the oven tickled his arms.</p>
<p>“thanks sap.” </p>
<p>“had a long ride?” punz questioned as he looked up from his place at the end of the table, book in hand. </p>
<p>dream cracked a tired smile, and settled into a chair. “yeah, i set him up near techno. things are going pretty well, better than i thought.”  </p>
<p>Dream looked around and realized George wasn’t around. He stood again, and cracked his back.</p>
<p>“i’m gonna go and relax for a bit, save me some dinner.” Sapnap nodded in response and turned back to his food, and punz opened his book again. </p>
<p>Dream picked his coat up and left the house. He walked, a destination already in mind. </p>
<p>he walked up the hill overseeing the entirety of the DreamSMP, waiting for george to meet him at their spot. he stood, looking at what he had been able to create. it was truly beautiful. He marveled in the fact that he knew he controlled what happened; his friends had nicknamed him “the puppet master”. he truly held all the strings, and there wasn't much anyone could do. as he was musing, he heard soft footsteps on the dewy grass. dream grinned wearily, but didn’t turn around, for he already recognized the light foot pattern. </p>
<p>“hello, my sweet.” </p>
<p>“hello dream.” responded george. a light blush crossed his cheeks, and he ducked to hide it. George stood behind dream, watching him observe his valley, dream's most prized possession. they stood like that for a few moments; dream looking at the light of lmanburg, and george watching dream. </p>
<p>“george?” dream turns his head to the side, his voice sweet and dangerous like honey to a fly. </p>
<p>“yes dream?” George answered compliantly. Dream knew he was George's weakness, that George would bend to his will like it was necessary for his life. a daring smile played at the edges of dreams lips as a plan slowly formed in his mind.</p>
<p>a steely looked glinted in dreams eyes, looking at the blushing boy.</p>
<p>“i need you to do something for me, darling.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thank you for reading! im already working on the next chapter, so it should be out in a few days!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Start</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>planning basically</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“what about there?” George asks whilst pointing at a spot on the wrinkled map. </p><p>The overhead layout of the dreamSMP was sprawled across the table in George's house, as 5 of the members of team chaos sat around it. three of them shared a similar look; tired and bored. </p><p>the other two however, were alert. dream looked exhilarated. his eyes darted around the map, looking for the optimal places to sabotage, putting themselves into the L’manburg’s mindset, trying to figure out where they would sabotage. </p><p>“no, we won’t plant there, that’s near the tree, they wouldn’t risk that.” dream said, shaking his head. They had been planning this for the past week, trying to find the optimal places to plant the bombs. George was the only other person that shared a sliver of the passion dream had. He wanted to prove he was helpful to dream. Everyone else at the table was sick and tired of dream and his obsessive planning. </p><p>They sat silent for a moment, dream and George thinking, while the others zoned out, wishing to go home. </p><p>“dream.” George breaks the silence with a serious yet excited whisper. he knew he had thought of the place. “dream!” George starts smiling and taps dream on the shoulder to get his attention. </p><p>“george?” Dream’s voice was higher than normal and filled with inquiry. They made eye contact and dream knew George had done it. </p><p>George waited a few seconds to let the aura of excitement fill the room. the people around the table turn their heads to the pair, wondering what could have happened to make them suddenly hyper.</p><p>“the castle.” he breathes. dreams eyebrows raise, his mind racing as he considers the possible consequences of blowing up the castle. </p><p>George stands, waiting, hoping that his idea was good enough for dream, that dream would consider the fact that he was sacrificing his own castle for his plan. </p><p>“george,” dream breathes as he raises his hand to cup george’s jaw, “you’re brilliant.'' George's face lights up with a smile, and happiness floods him. dream was still plotting in his head, trying to figure out the best way to use his power over George to his advantage. He leans against the table, a sly smile on his face. punz and sapnap make eye contact, happy with the thought of conflict, but also slightly worried. The lesser of a worry was that both knew that dream could get out of control, take things too far. The greater issue was the guilt. the people they had to fight were their previous friends. they had relationships, and homes, and reasons to fight back other than just for fun. they worried that they were on the wrong side of history, and the little human in them that hadn’t been stomped out by war was growing, slowly getting louder, and making them question their leader evermore. they were worried. </p><p>—</p><p>“what the hell are we supposed to do then tubbo?” quackity’s face was grim, not a trace of laughter on his usually bright face. </p><p>Tubbo’s mouth opened and closed, no innovative solution coming to his mind. </p><p>“You don’t like any of our ideas! So why don’t you give us another.”</p><p> every idea fundy or quackity had, tubbo thought was too aggressive. Just as every idea tubbo had, they had thought was too passive. </p><p>“we aren’t getting anywhere with this!” quackity exclaimed. He indicates towards the board on the table, where dozens of pens and failed ideas sat. they had been at this for hours and hadn’t gotten anywhere. the two boys look at each other bitterly, each thinking they were correct. They wait in silence, racking their brains for any idea that could be helpful. </p><p>“what-“ niki began, and everyone turned around to look at her. she had been sitting in the corner of the small room, and had spoken maybe twice throughout the past few hours. she cleared her throat to rid it of it’s raspiness, and spoke again hoarsely. </p><p>“what about a protest,” she looked around the room, taking a break to gauge their initial reactions to her idea, and continued on when they didn’t look immediately opposed.</p><p>“a peaceful one,” she says, looking pointedly at tubbo, “where we stand on dreamSMP land,” she makes eye contact with quackity and fundy, “and protest the abuse of their power. They have no right to control who we have or don’t have in our country.'' She now stands at the table, looking just as powerful as the rest, mainly due to the pure passion in her eyes. </p><p>she got that from wilbur, tubbo thought.</p><p>Everyone looked to tubbo when niki had finished. his decision was the final one, no matter how many objections or upsets there were, and he knew that the fate of the country was in his hands. He could almost feel the weight of the world rest heavily on his shoulders as he was having a silent, yet heated, debate with himself. </p><p>“It seems like a good middle ground,” quackity prompted after a few moments of anticipation. tubbo looked around the room, looking each one of his friends in the eyes. He took a deep breath in and reveled in his decision, that it could've just as easily been a mistake as it could’ve been a success.</p><p>“we’ll start at the castle.” the air lightens a little as they all take a breath in. they had seemed to gain a bit of life from the phrase, and they immediately launched into the planning of their protest, bending over the table until deep into the night, excited to finally be able to do something against dream. and yet all were worried; worried for themselves, worried about dreams reaction to the revolt, and most of all, worried for the people surrounding them; their anxiety spread throughout them like a creeping disease, closing up their throats and twisting in their stomachs. they were scared.</p><p>The sad irony is that if either side knew what the other knew, no war would have happened, no blood would have been shed, and no one would have to deal with missing their friends, and not being able to do a single damn thing about it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>uh sorry for the slight cliffhanger! im sort of busy with school, but next chapter should be in a week (?)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. A Poor Fox</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>tw // blood , death</p>
<p>this one is pretty intense so just know that before you start reading</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>tw // blood death </p>
<p>The sun was setting on the smp two days later, and Quackity was reveling in the warm sunshine. He was stretched out on the grass outside of L'manburg, waiting for Tubbo to tell him when it was time to move. The weather was still, as was Quackity. He felt strangely relaxed, and the weather was calm, the type of calm that occurred before a storm. </p>
<p>Quackity had been laying there for quite awhile, and even slipped out of consciousness a couple of times. He didn’t flinch when he heard a twig snap behind him, as he usually would have. Tubbo stood silently watching him with sadness, wishing he didn’t have to disturb the peaceful boy. The resolve that settled deep inside them was useful, yet scary. everyone, and everything was so calm! so what, they asked themselves, caused them to not fear the threats that plagued them? what caused the acceptance that spread through them from their chest, making them unable to panic? The calm before the storm always was a curious thing, especially when the storm was the terrifying, yet probable war. </p>
<p>Tubbo watched, thinking about what Quackity could experience in life if it weren't for the war. Possibly a family, or a new friend. He could have kids in the future, maybe not. The possible prospects of his future that could be taken away in a single moment. It pained Tubbo to think about the life that might have been, and it showed in his voice. </p>
<p>“Quackity,” he muttered unwillingly. His voice was higher than usual, and it was raspy with emotion. A slight smile appeared on his face when he heard Tubbo's voice. He sounded devastated. Quackity didn’t understand Tubbo's take on the situation; what was there to be sad about? If they won, they got freedom for themselves and the generations that followed, if they lost, they died. Quackity didn’t understand what Tubbo thought was so bad about dying. Death brought freedom from the control and limitations of the world, and the restrictions that followed. Death was liberation, and who wouldn’t want to be liberated? </p>
<p>Quackity lay for a few more moments, enjoying the last few moments in the sun. Tubbo stayed silent for a bit, wondering why he wasn't afraid. Or scared. Or nervous in any way. Tubbo inhaled, preparing to tell him that they had to go, “I know, Tubbo.” he sat up, and Tubbo helped him stand. He dusted off his legs, and looked at Tubbo. They nodded to each other silently, and began to walk down the very same mountain that dream and George had stood days earlier. </p>
<p>--<br/>
The walk to the castle was long. After they had met up with the rest of the group, they gathered their signs, their courage, and their weapons. They didn't speak on the trip, they were too occupied focusing on what was to come. The only sound was that of the birds in the trees, and their feet shuffling on the oak path. They stumbled along, Tubbo leading the group towards the royal lands, where they knew something was waiting. They didn’t quite know what, nor how powerful that thing would be, but they knew something, something was there in wait, preparing for their arrival. </p>
<p>They crossed the crest of the hill, and froze, looking down on the beautiful landmark. It was incredible; the sun was setting, the crops were grown, and the lanterns were lit. The magnificent building stood tall and loomed over the grounds, making the scene look like a movie setting, the perfect place for a horror film. There were cattle grazing the land out front, and a murmuration soared by overhead. It truly was the depiction of greatness, right down to the masked man that had sauntered out from underneath the barbican. He walked with a confidence, a feeling of knowing, his chest out and his chin low, and even from a distance, the satisfied smile on his face was evident. The edge of a worn, deadly looking axe scraped across the ground, and the sound of the tool and the stone connecting made them want to turn and run and never look back. </p>
<p>The group stood, wary despite the overwhelming advantage in numbers. The fear that struck them was justified, however, because they knew the power dream held. He was perses, the god of destruction, able to destroy or create anything he wished. Dream waited, almost vibrating with anticipation. </p>
<p>Tubbo wanted to turn and leave. He wished to turn back time, to go back to when his biggest issue was homework. Back to when he still had a best friend, and a home. His feet didn’t move though, and he looked determinedly at the monster of a man in front of him. He had a horrible feeling about the joy utterly radiating from dream, for there was only one thing that tubbo knew to make him that gleeful; the idea of death. The realization hit him the moment Fundy worked up enough courage to speak. Fundy wanted to ask dream, in front of everyone, why he had such a maniacal thirst for power? Why must he manipulate those who cared for him? Why was he the way that he was? Dream started laughing as Fundy took a step forward. In the same moment, Tubbo reached for his arm, and victory was written on dream’s hidden face. Fundy’s foot landed on the ground, and everyone stopped dead. </p>
<p>Click.</p>
<p>Hiss.  </p>
<p>“Runnn!”  </p>
<p>Dreams' taunting voice sung the advice to flee, his wide smile showing his teeth. Everyone was rooted to the ground, until Fundy collapsed. His knees gave out, and the others sprinted away. Tubbo, however, hesitated, only for a split second, trying to determine whether there was enough time to save himself and Fundy, yet it was a long enough pause for dream to gain an advantage. As Tubbo was looking at the backs of the people that ran, dream picked up the paralyzed Fundy, and took a few steps away. Fundy watched as his friend attempted to grab his arm, even though he was way too far to be saved. He looks at the hopelessness on Tubbo's face, and goes cold with terror. Everything seemed to move in slow motion, yet was sped up as well. The TNT went off with a bang, and Tubbo was sent backwards through the air, landing on the path with rubble surrounding him. A groan slips out of his mouth, his body aching. He stretches his limbs to see if he was hurt, flexing his arms and legs.  Nothing’s broken, he thought. He sat up and drunkenly looked around, the ringing in his ears disorientating him even further, the dirt in his eyes making his vision blurry. He looks around and coughs a few times. He sits up, and sees a terrified Fundy in the arms of dream, the dreaded axe held up against his throat. Fundy's eyes were wide, and tears were silently streaming down his face. Tubbo jumps up, the ringing in his ears distracting him and extends his hands in a peace offering, begging internally that dream would show mercy to his friend. </p>
<p>They stood tense and still, Tubbo shifting his gaze between dream and Fundy, pleading for mercy and trying to say It’s all gonna be okay with his eyes simultaneously. Tears were beginning to well up, and his vision was becoming blurrier than even before. Tubbo took a shaky step forward, which was met immediately by a tightening of stance from dream, pulling the edge of the blade ever so deeper into Fundy's neck. Blood ran smoothly down his throat, mixing with the tears still running down his face. </p>
<p>“You don’t want to be doing that, Tubbo. You do want your friend to live, right?” dreams coy voice was light and playful, seemingly deaf to the pathetic pleadings coming from Fundy in short sobs. Dream looked down at fundy with a predatory look underneath his mask. He leaned his head down and pushed his mask up to uncover his nose. He inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent of cold sweat lingering on his skin. A shiver ran down Fundy's spine and dream growled contently as he felt him tremble. He lightly traced the outer rim of Fundy's ear with the tip of his nose, earning another fearful quiver from fundy. Dreams face broke out into a light smile at the reaction to fundy's panic, and whispered lovingly, “don’t worry my dear, you won’t feel it for much longer.” Fundy hung limp in his arms at his words, now supported completely by the blade on his throat and dream's arm wrapped around the front of him. </p>
<p>“Honestly. you, you poor fox, you poor, sad, pathetic fox.” dream said looking down at the young man in his arms. Fundy shrunk under the repulsed gaze dream gave him. “You are a bad person. You know that, right? Leaving? When your friends needed you the most? You selfish man. You disgust me. You cower at the mere thought of fear. It’s sad, really. People like you don’t deserve to live. You’re horrible. You almost guaranteed your friend's deaths! Do you not feel empathy? You're Not even a man. You are a cowardly boy that lacks a backbone. I realize I'm bad, but at least I'm not a coward. So, fundy, I ask you, are you scared? Are you scared of me? Right now? Do you want to run?” he spat the last syllables, his voice full of venom. Fundy was positively shaking, and there wasn't a break in the tears running down his face. He believed what dream said whole-heartedly, brainwashed by fear and guilt. </p>
<p>“P-please.. I-I'm so sorry,” he sputtered. “Please f-forgive me,” he took a large gasp and continued to sob, his pitiful apology getting caught in his throat.</p>
<p>“Dream,” Tubbo's voice broke while saying the name, eyes still on fundy, eyes riddled in concern. his posture fell a little, his hope leaving his body as the disgust on dreams lips increased. </p>
<p>“I don't want to die Tubbo,” fundy wheezes, mentally tormented. His shaky hands rest at his sides, his wet eyes less bright, as if he was already partly dead. He shakes his head hopelessly, denying the situation like a child in a car seat. </p>
<p>“Fundy, fundy look at me, look at me fundy!” Tubbo knew how terrifying it was to be in the grasp of death, to be in the grasp of dream, and he didn’t want the last thing he thought to be “I'm a coward” </p>
<p>Fundy looked at Tubbo with wide eyes, gasping for air as he tried to make amends, possibly with those he had thought of wronging, possibly with some god he believed to exist. Their gazes meet and Tubbo smiles fakely. </p>
<p>“You're Not a coward fundy,” he began hysterically. “i understand what you did, and why you did it!” his voice faltered as he closed his mouth to soothe his dry throat. “you're fine! Youre so brave and smart and loved, Everything will be okay, fundy,” his voice broke again as he said fundy's name, glimpses of what fundy could have been if not for today. Slides passed through his head quickly, barely giving him enough time to register what the images were. A car. A wife. A home. A child. A pet. A trampoline. “you'll be alright, well make it out of here! I promise-” </p>
<p>Tubbo stopped talking when dream cocked his head to the side, clearly amused. “Dream, dream please. Take me! Take me instead! Please! Anything!” he breathes in a shaky breath, “please!” he says with a crack. </p>
<p>“You shouldn't tell lies, Tubbo,” Dream says lazily, mocking disappointment in his tone. “He’s not going to be okay,” Dream twists and throws fundy onto the ground behind him. He turns to look at the broken man on the floor, his bloodthirst raging inside of him. He raises his axe, and with a single great sweep, fundy is gone. Tubbo's shout of “no” was cut off in his throat by his dry sob. Dream lifts his axe once more, and wipes the blood off the metal with his shirt. He stows it behind his back and pulls something out of his pocket. He started fiddling with it while his back was turned, and Tubbo dropped onto the ground in shock. </p>
<p>The sound of two metals hitting each other brings Tubbo to look at dream with decimated confusion. A soft glow appears on dreams scuffed and bloody mask, and a smile once again appears on his face. He licked the crimson liquid off his lips as he looks to Tubbo, and his smile brightens with glee when he sees the look of terror on his face. </p>
<p>“You may want to run, the fire should be spreading relatively soon,” Tubbo crawls backwards, gasping at his words, struggling to stand. His mind is completely blank, functioning solely on his instincts and his wish to not end up like his friend. He half runs backwards until he was far enough away to turn his back on dream. He stumbles up the stairs, and keeps his head down as he sprints down the path, heart hammering against his ribs and tears flying out from behind him as he pushes himself harder and harder to get away from dream, his fuel to keep going being the last thing he saw, burned into the forefront of his thoughts; Dream kneeling over fundy's cold body, a smile across that bastard face, while a mixture of orange and yellow flames whipped in the background. The depiction of chaos is what kept him running.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i hope you enjoyed the angst,, next chapter should be in around a week, maybe earlier (?) my schedule is wack rn so im sorry for everything is so weird o_o</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. friends</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>angsty angst</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Dream?! What the hell was that?” </p>
<p>George slams the door to the little cottage open, droplets of water dripping from his long coat. His crown was laid crooked on his ruffled hair, and his hands were clenched at his sides, his fingernails biting into his shaky palms. He stood in the kitchen, shooting daggers at dream who stood over the table with a calculating look on his face. </p>
<p>He looked up from the table with a look of innocent confusion on his face. He straightened up at the sight of George's anger and cocked his head slightly to the side. His confusion at George's mood seemed so genuine, so real, that those who didn’t know dream might have fallen for the act of purity he was putting on. George knew better though, after years of being around him, he knew when he was being deceitful. </p>
<p>“What do you mean, my dear?” dream asks, his voice thick and sweet, concern layered throughout his syllables. </p>
<p>George rolled his eyes, and crossed his arms over his chest. </p>
<p>“Don’t pull that bullshit with me dream, I know you better than that. Now answer the question.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dreams face slackened as he dropped all signs of distress at George's words. He stayed silent, staring at George with emotionless eyes. He hadn’t ever been unmasked like that before, it had startled him. George always complied with him, always. He narrowed his eyes as he studied George, wondering what had caused this new rise of rebellion as George stood, stubbornly refusing to break the silence. They waited in silence for a few moments, the tension in the room ever growing. Suddenly and swiftly, dream moved towards George, causing him to flinch. Dream’s hand moved towards George's face, and fear struck george. Dreams’s hand moved past his head, however, and grabbed his coat off the hook next to george. George watched him in slight surprise, watching him slid on the long black overcoat. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Where are you going?'' George asks sharply, watching his movement with vulture eyes. Dream grabbed his hat off the coat stand, and busied himself with adjusting his turtleneck. He swiftly approached the door, and swung it open to the downpour outside. He contemplated for a moment, and stepped outside into the rain. George watched incredulously as the man took long strides along the path, and yelled from the door, </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Where are you going?!” dream didnt turn around when he answered.</p>
<p>“To see a friend!” </p>
<p>— </p>
<p>“it’s been awhile,” </p>
<p>Dream pulled off his coat once he got inside the small tent, a content smile on his face. He hung his wet jacket on a peg in the wall, and shook his hair out. his eyes slide over the tiny room, turning to face the blond boy sitting at a rickety table in the corner </p>
<p>he didn’t look good, even dream had to admit that. looking at him, you could see his exhaustion. his deep eye bags and shaky hands,  his deadened eyes and matted hair. his skin was pale and waxy looking, and his posture had grown worse in the week he had been here. He was skinnier, more tired, and the weak smile that came across his face when he saw dream walk through the door was devastatingly submissive. That's why dream came here, something about seeing the boy being a shell of his former self brought joy to the twisted man. He fed off the suffering of others. </p>
<p>“It has been Tommy,” dream responds. Dream’s smile dampened, turning more into a look of judgement as he eyed Tommy closer. His eyes skimmed him from his eyes to his beaten shoes, and back up to lock eyes with tommy. Tommy looked down his front, wondering in a slight panic what he had done to bring that grimace onto his friends face. Dream leaned against the doorframe, silently enjoying the panic he caused. Tommy thought, and thought and thought, but couldn’t think of what he had done wrong. For minutes, he sat still at the worn table, his mind racing faster with each moment that passed. Tommy looked up to dream, his eyebrows pinched and his mouth open, pleading that he would be told what he had done wrong with his eyes. Dream sighed, a long, drawn out sigh, and stood straight again. With his arms crossed, and took two long strides towards Tommy and pulled on a bit of chain linking his chestplate to his arm cover. Tommy’s eyes widen, and freezes for a moment. The air is still for a second, dream relishing the pure power he had over him. Tommy unfreezes, thinking past the panic racing through his blood like poison. He tears his rough armour off, scraping his skin a bit on his arms and face, and throws it into a corner of the tent. </p>
<p>“Dream, I- I- I am so, so sorry,” Tommy stutters, once again in his most vulnerable. He looks from the man to the pile of weak iron he had worn, slightly glinting in the soft candle light. Dream's face was hidden in the dim room, and his ghastly smirk was unseen by tommy. </p>
<p>“You know you'll have to pay extra for that, right?” dream asks softly. It’s quite a wonder Tommy didn't hesitate, for dreams smile was broadcasted clearly in his tone. Dream moves towards Tommy, slowly, his smirk still blatantly viewable, and comes toe-to-toe with the shivering teenager. Tommy could see dream, closer than ever. He looked at his broad shoulders and wide hands, his light brown hair, slightly matted with a  mixture of rain and sweat. He studied his long neck and how his sweater had no threads loose. His eyes landed upon his face. He could make out his faint freckles and pink lips, and Tommy swore that he saw a glint of green hidden in the shadows. He finally looked to the mask that covered his face, and saw scars. Imprints of what he had survived, and what he had done to others displayed themselves on the ceramic, truly visible only when looked at from very close. And, the most horrifying bit; Is that blood? </p>
<p>“Drop it, Tommy,” Dream's whisper tickled Tommy's spine, and Dream noticed the goosebumps that raised on his arm. Tommy hesitated, much to dream’s dislike. </p>
<p>“Tommy,” dream warned. The resolve in Tommy broke, and he pulled his goods out of his pocket. He dropped them next to the armor, the pile now sparkling with diamonds and gold. Dream silently approached the pile, and dug a hole underneath for the items to fall into. Once at the bottom of the pit, Dream placed a stick of dynamite on top, nestled it into the diamonds and placed the helmet on top. He lit it, and jumped out of the hole. Tommy turned around, a light tear welling in his eye. The ground shook a few moments later, and he felt dreams hand on his shoulder. <br/>“You don’t have the right to cry, tommy. Now get me some tea, i'm cold.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>ty for reading! school has been really really time consuming lately so i’m very sorry this is so late .,.,,.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is just me starting to get inspired, so im sorry its so short! More is 100 percent coming in the next few days, so stay tuned! the first few chapters are going to be quite short so im sorry,</p></blockquote></div></div>
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